My Precious Bell
by For Rhyme or Reason
Summary: I live in a world where people can do amazing things. Where a person can make waves in the sea with a wave of the hand; or can move a peak with a single kick; or fly with the help of a stick; or call a flame with the flick of their fingers. It is a fairytale world, or at least it can be; if it weren't for the war that has blanketed the world in darkness. SYOC! Closed.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

* * *

I live in a world where a person can make waves with just a gesture of the hand; and where another person can move mountains with a kick; where someone can fly with just the help of a stick; and where a person can summon flames with a flick of the fingers. It may sound like a fairytale land to you, but I live in a world where all this is possible and more. It sounds like an enchanting world, and truly it can be, but you can quickly become blind to that charm when you witness all of the war that also occurs.

My home is known as the Fire Nation, known for its sharp exterior and fiery interior. It is a land of flames, where only the strongest deserve to live; or so it the belief. It is no wonder that flames are our nation's insignia. Many look to this great nation as a wondrous and tough nation; proud to call it their home. However, when I look at my homeland, all I see is a wildfire.

Long ago it was one of the four nations that inhabited the world; the others being the Water Tribe, the Air Nomads, and the Earth Kingdom. Each nation ruled separately over its own people and land. And while separate, they were all equal. None were above the other, thus maintaining a balance and flow to the world. But that all changed with the actions of my home, the Fire Nation.

No one truly knows why the Fire Nation started the war. Some say they deserved to rule due to their strength and leadership, though these tend to be Fire Nationals. Others say it was because the Nation was greedy for control and craved authority over everyone else. There is also the idea that Sozin, the Fire Lord of the time, found it fun to tromp around and act tyrannical. Whatever the reason behind their decision, the Fire Nation chose to go to war with all others who opposed them.

The war started almost a hundred years ago with the Air Nomads. It was long before I was born, but I have heard this story from many of the elders in my town. The Air Nomads were a supposed peaceful people, though the Fire Nation described them as filthy savages. Without much warning, the Fire Nation launched an attack on the Nomads. And while the Nomads practiced non-violence, they did supposedly fight back as much as they could. But they were not strong enough to overpower the large Nation ambush.

The world gasped at this attack, wondering as to why the Nation chose the Nomads to strike first. There was some thought put into this attack though. One reason was to show that no one was safe from the Fire Nation and that everyone would fall, even the most passive. It was a show of intimidation. The other reason is really a rumor; the Avatar. The Avatar is someone who can control all four elements and acts as "peacekeeper" between the nations. The idea is that the Avatar is an ever-existing being. Once one form dies, they are reborn as a new person. Through this cycle there is always an Avatar. And it is this cycle that stated they would be born a Nomad. The rumor has it that the Fire Nation feared the Avatar stopping them before they even started, so they eliminated them first.

The Air Nomads were almost completely slaughtered. Only a few survived, due to the Nation's "discretion". Thus the fall of the Air Nomads, now under the control of the Fire Nation.

Next was the Water Tribe. They were stronger than the Air Nomads, both physically and willfully. They were willing to fight back with all they got. Sadly, their strength was split between two tribes – the Northern and the Southern – so they could not last forever. It began with the Southern Tribe. The Fire Nation attacked the tribe with full force; fire a-blazing. Every single tribe's member – men, women, and children – were killed. There were no survivors, which gave the slaughter the name, "The Southern Massacre". The Northern Tribe had better defenses and more available to fight. They even managed to keep their attackers at bay for over three months. But after those long, cruel months, the wildfire finally melted the ice. The Fire Nation took control of the Northern Tribe; allowing those who survived to continue to live, but reminding them of what they did to their sister tribe and what could happen to them.

The final nation left was the sturdy and ever solid, Earth Kingdom. Much like they were known to bend, the Earth Kingdom had the best defenses in the world. Whether it was the large, thick walls surrounding their cities or positioning their cities on mountains with only one thin entrance; their defenses helped keep them afloat during their battle against the Nation. Some of the small, less protected villages would fall, but the people fled to the protection of the major cities, like Ba Sing Se and Omashu. The Fire Nation was not to be deterred though. They put all their force towards taken down major cities, especially Ba Sing Se and Omashu. They first targeted Omashu. By cutting off all incoming supplies and constant attacking, the city of Omashu had no other choice but to surrender. Ba Sing Se was next. Their walls however proved to be strong. They had fields on the inside, as well as a water source. Ba Sing Se had no need for supplies from the outside, so they could withhold for however long. It was only through luck that a Fire Nation general – crown prince Iroh – managed to break through the walls that protected Ba Sing Se after almost two years of constant attack. And it was with the fall of Ba Sing Se that the Earth Kingdom fell to the Fire Nation.

I live in a world where those who can bend the waves are now arrested for their blood; where those who can move mountains are forced to move boxes; those who can fly through the air with just a stick grounded forever; and where those who can summon flames burn everything to a ground.

* * *

 **This story takes place in an alternate world where the Fire Nation managed to take over the world. Aang was captured during the ambush of the Southern Air Temple and killed upon being confirmed as the Avatar by the Fire Nation. It took almost 100 years, but the Fire Nation managed to take complete control. The current setting is eight years after the fall of the Earth Kingdom. A group of rebels fight the Fire Nation and try to bring back the balance. Well, them and the Avatar.**

 **This story will feature many known canon characters and takes place four years after the canon setting.**

 **Having received more than enough submissions, I have closed the submissions. Full *main* character list will be released with the next chapter after Christmas. To all those reading this, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.**


	2. Chapter 1, Part 1

**Thank-you to all reading this chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **1: "Without a Plan, but with a Strategy; Part 1"**_

* * *

Suzu's eyelids were growing heavy as she stared out the window, and her arms numb as she rested her head on them. It was taking all the energy she had left trying to stay awake. And of all nights she had to stay awake, it had to be completely silent and so soothing. Usually there would be people out, creating enough noise for her to concentrate on. While she lived a bit of a walk away from the partying district – aka the red-light district – she tended to be able to hear the partying of the aberrant persons of the night with the echoes of music and laughter. But none of that tonight; no, it was an unusual silence. It was quiet enough to make a person wonder. Well, a person who was attentive enough to truly notice. The only thing Suzu was ready enough to do was to sigh.

She needed to stay awake, but it was getting harder and harder for her to do so. And it was quiet irritating. Normally, when the moon was high into the sky, she would be asleep; like her little sister, Avaron, in the room beside hers or Keiichi, her older brother, in the room down the hallway. She would be tucked into bed and dreaming, probably of clouds and cabbage slugs – whatever that meant.

But this night she was stuck awake, staring out a window for Youta's "signal". All she could do was complain in her head and wait.

* * *

 _Earlier that day…_

"Seriously, to hide is one things," Suzu mumbled under her breath. "To get out is a completely different thing. What was he thinking?

The streets of Harbor City were packed. So much so, Suzu felt like she was getting more elbows to the gut than anything else, including getting any distance. It was like she was stuck in the same little area, just being pushed in circles. She appeared to be walking, but nothing around her seemed to change. And that was the problem with the streets being packed; nothing moved easily. Nothing flowed. All Suzu wanted to do was get to where she needed to be. Which she assumed the crowd around her wanted the same thing – to get to their points of interest – but everyone wanted to be first. Everyone was pushing and rushing, and yet, no one was moving.

 _Of all the days to tell me to sneak out,_ she thought, grinding her teeth as a man knocked into her shoulder.

Suzu's good friend and confidante, Youta, had told her to meet him in a spot well outside the city. Usually if he wanted to chat, they would find a place inside the city, away from the straying eyes of any guards. This time however was different. He had insisted on meeting her outside the walls. There was no chance she could, or would ever, miss it, but getting out was a whole lot easier said than done.

Really, Suzu lived in the Capital City of the Fire Nation, which was one of the most secure places in the world. It had to be, as it was where the Fire Lord and his family resided. And while it sounded nice, it wasn't always. If you wanted some place nice to live, you best be rich or you were stuck in Harbor City. You see, the Capital was split into two sections; Harbor City and Caldera City. If you were of noble or royal blood, you would live in Caldera City. It was apparently clean and orderly, though that was only what Suzu had heard. Normal people couldn't just stroll into Caldera, not unless you were formally invited by the Fire Lord. As for Suzu, she lived in Harbor City, where the rest of the people of the Capital lived; everyone from the middle-class down to the scum. The two "cities" were split, so the privileged wouldn't have to deal with the unprivileged.

After the fall of Ba Sing Se, and the subsequent fall of the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation cities had been under strict rules; especially the Capital. One would think it would be the opposite, that after the fall of their enemy and with the Fire Nation taking control of the world, they would allow more freedom on the mainland for all the Nationals. However it seemed the Fire Nation was scared of an uprising – fear well placed, Suzu believed – and thus even kept its own citizens under lock and key. So trying to leave the walls without a special pass would be near right impossible.

"New silk! Please, ma'am, look at our silk! Just in! Made by the Earth People!"

A seller is shouting out, targeting a nearby lady and shoving a sample of red silk at her. Suzu pushed to the side, trying to avoid him – the seller – all together. And while she got a couple of glares from the housewives she pushed out of the way, it was worth it. She didn't like it when people shouted at her. Really, no one likes being shouted at, but Suzu truly hated it; especially when the person shouting was trying to entice you to do something, whether it to buy their product or something else. It felt counterproductive to her; to yell at someone, hoping to get them to like you enough to buy from you.

Suzu tried to clear her mind with a shake of the head. She had no time to think about shopkeepers. She had to worry about something else. How was she going to get out? She couldn't just walk out through the front gate. But with her patience draining due to the crowd, she was thinking about trying. The worse that would happen would be getting arrested. At least she would be away from the crowds. Maybe she could find a hole along the wall so she could climb through or an unprotected area that she could climb over… Two more ideas she quickly shook out of her head. Neither of those would work, as the walls surrounding each area were thick, well taken care of, and constantly protected. She knew she would be wasting her time even humoring those ideas.

As she pushed forward, she managed to get past the market area, with a few new bruises as mementoes. People were beginning to space out. She could actually breathe, which was a nice change of pace. Even though there were still a lot of people, she at least wasn't getting struck in the stomach anymore.

 _How was Youta able to get out?_ she wondered.

He had to have had a plan, as he suggested it. Why didn't he give her any tips? Sometimes Suzu questioned what went on it that boy's head.

"I wonder if he is there now," Suzu muttered.

"Who you talking about sweety? Maybe I can help you."

Suzu jumped at the sudden intrusion and looked up. Standing in front of her was an escort. Somehow Suzu had wondered into the red-light district without noticing.

Escorts were common in the red-light district. In fact, it would be weird if you didn't see one while visiting the district. And it wasn't the first time Suzu had been in the district. It was a common meeting place for Youta and her. But this escort gave the teenaged girl a strange feeling. The woman was wearing a loose fitting kimono that draped over her reedy frame. It didn't leave much to the imagination, though gave any buyers a peak at what they would spending their money one. Not a really feminine body, but fit. The kimono looked expensive, so she was possibly one of the more expensive escorts. Still, on the woman, it felt cheap. The woman seemed cheap as her amber eyes met Suzu's with a seductive glaze.

"No thank-you," the brunette said, slowly trying to walk around the woman.

"You seem shy," the woman said, getting closer. "Don't worry, sweetie."

The woman's voice was hoarse, and somehow familiar. But the woman's actions were making Suzu feel uncomfortable; too much for her to be able to continue this conversation. Without saying another word, Suzu rushed away. She could feel the woman's gaze on her back as she sped away. She could only guess what expression the streetwalker was wearing.

 _Oh, how mother would be angry at me not using my manners_ , Suzu thought.

It took about an hour for Suzu to finally reach a part of the wall surrounding Harbor City. She had been walking in circles – thanks to even more crowds. When she finally reached the wall, she was greeted by the sight of at least eight guards perched up along the wall, and quite the few walking along the ground. A few of them along the wall were staring outwards, while a few of them looked down at the people inside the city. Suzu could have sword she made eye contact with one of the guards, not that she particularly wanted to. She quickly averted her gaze and looked around for somewhere else to look.

 _Well, what's my idea now?_

Even though she knocked the ideas down, now it was confirmed she wasn't going to be going over or through the wall any time soon.

 _The only way I'm going to get out is if I could go under_ , she thought.

Except she was not an earthbender and could not create tunnels at will.

Feeling defeated, she found a clear space on a wall of a rather dirty building and leaned against it. She slid down to the ground and, while balancing her elbows on her knees, placed her chin in her hands. She didn't care if anyone looked down at her. They weren't in any position to speak – they were in the red-light district, and probably weren't there to escape. So their opinions didn't really matter. Looking forward, she once again tried to come up with yet another idea on how to get out. And once again, she was drawing a blank.

"You look puzzled, sweetie. Maybe I could help?"

* * *

 **This chapter is just part one. Part two coming soon? Remember to review. If I made any mistakes, tell me politely. I will happily listen and fix whatever I can.  
**

 **Thank-you to all who had submitted a character. I received a whole lot. Sadly, I could not accept them all. I even accepted more than I was planning on because it was so hard to turn some characters away. So, before I list the main characters, I would like to say; even though your character did not make the main list, there is still a chance they will show up as a side character. That being said, I will not list the side characters; only main characters.**

 **Those accepted as part of the** **main** **characters…**

 **\- Akemi Daichi,** _ **anim8or**_ **  
\- Baoh,** _ **reven228**_ **  
\- Fei,** _ **KingKatsu**_ **  
\- Guan,** _ **KingKatsu**_ **  
\- Ilah,** _ **Iristmr**_ **  
\- Koren,** _ **W. R. Winters**_ **  
\- Kyou,** _ **TaleOfTwoLovers**_ **  
\- Weisheng** _ **, confections101**_ **  
\- Xiao-Liu,** _ **GenuineHarajukuDoll**_

 ***Please note that each character, both side and main, will be introduced when appropriate. I.e. An Earth Kingdom native who currently resides in Ba Sing Se will not be introduced when we are still in the Fire Nation.**


	3. Chapter 1, Part 2

_**2: "Without a Plan, but with a Strategy; Part 2"**_

* * *

"You look puzzled, sweetie. Maybe I could help?"

The guttural voice came back. This time the owner stood beside Suzu, looking down at her. Suzu was hoping to never see the escort again, and yet there she was, the uninvited courtesan hovering over her.

"No, you cannot," said Suzu. "I'm not looking for any recreational fun, so it's best for you to go find a _paying_ customer."

Suzu stood up and went to walk away. She had had enough of that woman. She knew that the woman was just looking for a customer, and Suzu probably looked like an easy target, but she needed to learn when to give up. Suzu had already shown she had no interest and still the woman talked to her. The only thing Suzu had left to try was to quite literally hit the woman upside the head. The guards might not particularly like that, but Suzu was thinking about it. As Suzu went to step away, her arm was grabbed and she was forced to stop. She didn't react quickly enough before the woman brought her lips up to Suzu's ears.

"Think about it, Suzu. You need help, don't you?"

The voice truly changed. While it had a hint of masculinity before, it now sounded fully manly. It was harsh and raspy and familiar; and now Suzu could put a face to the voice.

"Youta!" Suzu shouted, though covered her mouth quickly after saying it.

She hoped that none of the guards around her heard her shout out. It was times like this that didn't need wandering eyes, or ears.

"I think you mistake me for someone else," he said, back in his "female" voice. "My name is Youka. Now how about we go back to my place for a little fun."

He leaned back in and added the last part in a whisper of his normal voice, "Just keep holding my hand and follow me."

Suzu nodded her head and slid her hand into "Youka's". She followed close behind as Youta lead the way through the crowd. Suzu allowed her eyes to wander a bit, glancing around. It looked like a few guards were ready to act when Youta had grabbed her, but they appeared to have fallen back now that Suzu was willingly going with her. Suzu didn't know whether to be thankful or concerned with this. Either way, their attention was off of her and she could breathe a bit. She turned her attention back to Youta and stared at the back head.

Youta was a good friend of Suzu; someone she had known for most of her life. He used to run around and play with Suzu and Keiichi – her older brother – when they were all younger. He was a bit older than her, but that never really mattered. They got along really well, as they shared a lot in common. When they were younger, they liked the same plays, played the same games, and had the same morals. Now they were older, none of that had really changed. They still had the same morals, which was probably why they were both rebellious. Actually it was Youta that introduced Suzu in to this "destructive lifestyle" – as the Fire Nation commonly referred to it as. Still, no matter how long Suzu had known him, she had never expected to see him dressed like this.

When Suzu was younger, she had a small crush on Youta. She quickly grew out of that, but continued to see him in a rather "masculine" light. Never in a hundred years would she imagine him wearing a dress or taking a female persona. Now that Suzu knew it was him, she could still make out some of his masculine features, but still he looked different, to a point. It was just too strange for her.

She dropped her stare to her feet, trying not to think about Youta. She felt uncomfortable. And besides, this was her friend after all. She shouldn't feel so strange around him.

He led her down a couple of narrow streets until finally reaching a small, shack-like building. It wasn't even big enough to be considered a cheap brothel. Thankfully no one was around to see the couple enter the building, or someone could possibly question why an escort was taking a customer into such a building. Once inside, Youta dropped Suzu's hand and ripped off the wig he had been wearing. He still had the makeup on, which was quite strange with his now shorter hair.

Suzu couldn't help but stare at him for a couple more seconds in silence before shaking her head and realizing what was going on.

"What are you doing dressing as a harlot? I thought we were supposed to be getting outside the wall and yet you're here playing dress up?!" she snapped.

She didn't know how to take the situation. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the boy. To any spectator, it would defiantly be a strange sight; an older teenager scolding a twenty-some year old in drag. Thankfully there were no spectators there.

"How do you think I get out?" he said, and then gestured to his get up. "Like my mom would let me come anywhere close to the red-light district. I have to sneak around."

"So you dress in drag?" Suzu asked.

"Easiest way for me to walk around," he explained as he began to strip.

Suzu quickly took in the situation and flipped around, turning her back to the half-naked boy as her cheeks turned a bright crimson. As Youta began to change, Suzu took in the room they were in. The shack had indeed been small. In fact, shack might have been a compliment. It was a one-room building built with decaying wood. It was a wonder how it even stood with as much wood rot and termites that were.

"I'm surprised your mother allowed you to walk this way," Youta said. "I would have thought the threat of ruining your family's name with the simple appearance in the red-light district would make her have you on a leash."

"She doesn't know I'm down here obviously," Suzu said. "Because unlike you, I don't draw attention."

"I don't draw attention," Youta contested. "I'm done by the way."

Suzu turned around to see a fully transformed Youta. He was back to his male-form; the way Suzu recognized him. In this form, it was easy to see why he drew attention. He was attractive with a long, round face with sharp features. He dark brown eyes and tanned skin did not fit the typical Fire Nation traits – which were the usual golden eyes and pale skin. While on anyone else, these traits would be considered muddy by the Nation, on Youta they worked. They just made him… Exotic, with lack of a better word to explain it.

"So dressing up as a girl? Is this a common thing?" asked Suzu, poking fun at him.

Youta looked off a bit, refusing to look Suzu in the eyes.

"Hey, it would be kind of strange to see a guy like me walking around the red-light district like a weirdo, wouldn't it?" he asked. "It's not strange to see an escort."

Suzu shrugged.

"I guess, but why do you need to even go to the red-light district?" asked Suzu.

Youta didn't answer Suzu right away. Instead he walked over to the far right corner of the room. Suzu hadn't noticed a crate sitting there at first; not until Youta brings her attention to it. He pulls the crate out of the way, revealing a dark hole leading down.

"Because it's my way out," he answered.

"You have an escape route and yet you were just going to let me figure it out on my own," she snapped.

"I figured you had your own plan, seeing how smart you are," Youta said.

"Compliments will get you nowhere," she said, before pushing him out of the way.

She didn't even wait for him before jumping down into the hole. The place was dark, minus the little light coming down from the poorly lit room above. Suzu moved out of the way as Youta jumped down, managing to pull the box back over as he did so. As he sealed the entrance all light disappeared.

"Suzu, if you mind," he said.

"Right," she said, flicking her fingers.

As the click sounded from her fingers, a flame appeared. It wasn't big, but it was surely bright; bright enough to light the area around her and Youta.

"Thanks," he said. "Right, let's get moving."

He pulled ahead of Suzu and began to lead the way. Suzu kept close behind him. She wasn't sure if this tunnel split and if she could get lost. She did definitely not want to get lost underground. Being buried alive was not high on her to-do list.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Suzu broke the silence.

"I didn't know there were these tunnels down here," she said.

"Yeah, a couple of earthbenders have been working on these for a while now; the last few months," Youta explained. "I don't know if they'll be at the meeting."

"There are going to be other people at these meeting?" Suzu asked.

"Of course," Youta said.

"Well, you didn't necessarily explain to me what was going on. You just mentioned a meeting outside the walls," Suzu said.

"That's why the meeting is outside the walls," he explained. "It involves other rebels outside the Capital City."

"Oh," Suzu simply said.

Silence ensued. She wasn't entirely sure how she should react to this. She was now more nervous knowing there was going to be other people there, people she did not know. How was she supposed to act? How would they react to a firebender? Her type of bender was not normally welcomed warmly by others. She could feel anxiety overwhelming her.

"I'm sure they will be happy to meet you," Youta said.

"Right," she said. "Oh, I'm wondering…"

"What?" asked Youta.

"How did you get your brown eyes to turn golden?" she asked.

She remembered looking into the "escort's" eyes and them being the same golden colour as everyone else. However Youta's eyes were a murky dark brown that resembled swamp mud more than the crystalized tree sap. Youta laughed at the question before answering.

"Of all questions, that's what you got on your mind?" he asked.

"Well, I figured you lightened your skin with makeup to give a pastier look. But how did you change your eye colour?" Suzu asked.

"I'm a master of disguise," he answered.

"No, seriously," Suzu pushed.

"You seriously won't let me have anything, will you?" asked Youta. And after a couple of seconds of tough silence, he continued, "Contacts. I got them from a trader at the market. They irritate my eyes a bit, but for sneaking around, they work."

* * *

 **End of part 2. Part three should be next week. The escort turned out to be Youta. What do you think about this turn out? Drop a review and let me know.**

 **About the reviewing.** **If I accepted your character as a main character, there is a requirement to review. You don't have to review every chapter (though it is appreciated), but you do have to review every other chapter. Unless you message me and tell me you cannot (giving me a valid reason), I expect reviews. I am not trying to be rude, but I appreciate active readers as they help me out more as a writer.** **If you do not leave a review** **every other chapter (without prior message), I will drop your character. This will be updated every week, so you have an entire week to read and leave a review.**

 **On a lighter note, I hope everyone had a nice holiday season and a good New Year. Let's make 2016 the best year yet, not to be cliché.**


	4. Chapter 1, Part 3

_**3: "Without a Plan, but with a Strategy; Part 3"**_

* * *

Suzu didn't know how long they had been walking, but it felt like forever. Her legs were already starting to go numb. Normally she could handle walking, but she had to have an occasional break. There had been no break yet. She knew Youta wanted to get out as quickly as possible, but her legs felt like jelly. It also felt like they were walking up an incline.

"So, how much longer?" she finally asked, having debated in her head whether or not she wanted to complain.

"Getting tired already?" he teased.

"I'm sorry, not all of us can be such muscular ladies," she mocked back.

"Ouch, you hurt my masculinity," he said, playing grabbing his chest.

Suzu figured it only to be a joke, as there was no need for Youta to actually be hurt by that. He had to be confident enough in his masculinity to dress up as a female while still identifying as a male. If he wasn't, there was no way he would be able to pull off. Even Suzu would have been able to see through his disguise.

"I was only joking," she said, nudging him a bit with her elbow.

"I know," he confirmed with a soft smile. "Well, you don't need to wonder anymore. We're here."

He pointed up ahead. Suzu hadn't been focusing enough to have noticed until now. Faint streams of light were coming down from an above source a few feet away. The beams were narrow, as if coming through cracks, but they allowed enough light to come in. Youta walked up and began to knock at the source of the light. As Suzu grew closer she realized it was a wooden cover that Youta was knocking at and the light was coming in through the cracks. Releasing the flame she had created, she began to help Youta push. With a bit of effort and a small click, the wooden shifted and slide off to the side, allowing the two to pass through the opening.

On the other side, Suzu was finally able to get some fresh air. She never realized that being underground was not a fun experience, at least not for a firebender. She was always afraid of something flammable showing up. There were a lot of minerals in the earth that could combust that she had to be careful of. Also being confined to a tight space, like the tunnel, was not enjoyable one bit. She preferred being above ground. And thankfully she was back to being on top of ground instead of being underneath it. They wound up in the middle of some wooded area. There didn't look like there had been people in the area for a long time. The ground was covered in freshly fallen leaves and unmanaged brush. The trees were tightly packed together, making Suzu wonder how they would be able to get out. Youta squatted down and placed the wood back over the hole, throwing some leaves over it to help disguise it. Suzu figured this to be pointless however, as it didn't look like people wandered anywhere near the area.

"Ready?" he asked.

Without words, Suzu responded with a simple nod. Youta patted her on the shoulder and began to walk over to the trees. There was a small opening between two skinny, but tall trees. He managed to squeeze through and waved for Suzu to follow him from the over side. She paused for a second before following him; like she really had a choice. She held her breath and pushed herself between the trees. If they had been any bigger, she might have gotten stuck. Thankfully she was able to get through.

Upon seeing Suzu get through, Youta continued. There was now a trail, winding through the trees. It was narrow, but still a trail. Youta led the way with Suzu close behind. She was unsure if one could get lost in such a setting, but Suzu was sure if it was possible, she would manage it somehow. They finally stopped after a couple of yards. The trail ended in a clearing, much bigger than the area they were just at. Large enough to occupy a good-sized group, which it looked like it would soon be doing. Upon stepping out from behind Youta, Suzu discovered they were not the first ones. There was already a handful of people who have shown up.

"Ah, Youta!"

A girl with dark hair that hung down passed her shoulders called out upon taking notice of Youta. She didn't seem to notice Suzu until the girl began to trot up to him. However when her olive green eyes met Suzu's golden ones, the girl hesitated. There was obviously no trust in her eyes directed towards Suzu, but still the firebender couldn't sense any distrust either. It just felt like the girl was trying to figure out how to treat Suzu and was being very cautious.

"Oi, Youta. Who's the girl?"

Behind the girl were two boys. The one who asked the question was the much taller boy. Suzu couldn't help but compare the two boys in appearance to Youta. Both had pitch black hair, much like Youta's dark locks. All three also had deeply tanned skin. While that was where the comparisons stopped, Suzu still felt the connections were there.

"This is Suzu," Youta said. "I told you guys about her."

Suzu remained silent. She didn't know what Youta had said exactly. Did he tell them she was a firebender or just that she was from the Fire Nation? Did he even mention he was from the Nation? She knew she should have asked more questions when walking and get more informed, but she wasn't thinking about it. Now she was regretting it all.

"Oh, nice to meet you," said the girl, finally walking all the way up to the two. "My name is Ilah."

Ilah extended her hand. With a bit of hesitation, Suzu took it. Ilah gave her hand a hardy shake; strength you would never expect to come from someone so small. When Ilah finally let go, the boys had already walked up. Suzu managed to get a better look at them. They looked a lot alike, giving them away as some sort of relatives. Suzu figured brothers, though they could be cousins. Cousins can look alike. The taller one had short, black hair that same thick texture as Ilah. As she saw before, his skin was a tanned, though now that she was closer, it wasn't the same deep tan as Youta. This boy's was a lighter shade. His eyes were a brighter shade than Ilah's, almost an emerald colouring. He had to be the older of the two. The five o'clock shadow and bags under his eyes gave him away. The shorter one looked a lot like him, having the same hair texture. However the shorter boy's hair seemed to spike towards the back, though it didn't look intentional. The younger boy had the same skin tone and eye colour, though appeared more youthful and less grumpy.

"Suzu," the older boy said, nodding with the simple greeting. "My name is Guan and this is Fei."

"Sup?" Fei said.

"Where is everyone else?" Youta asked.

Ilah turned to him, ready to answer, but Guan beat her to it.

"They will be showing up later," he answered. "We were sent ahead to try and think of a plan for when they get here."

"Well, we better figure something out then, huh?" Youta said, plopping down on the ground. "Shall we get started?"

* * *

 **A short chapter today. I have been having writer's block recently. It appeared to be unwavering. I was actually afraid I would not be able to get through this chapter. But here we are. I made it, thankfully. But jokes aside, I'm sorry for being gone so long. I hadn't updated any of my stories for a couple weeks now. My writer's block seemed to stretch across stories, not happy enough to delay just one story. While I was gone though, I did manage to get some things done.**

 **1.)** _I got myself a DeviantArt and I have posted some pictures of characters. So far Suzu, Youta, Keiichi, Avaron, Ilah, Fei, and Guan. More will be on the way, along with other stories' characters._

 **2.)** _I wrote a non-SYOC story, which will be a first for me. It is a Wizard101 story revolving around a Pyromancer named Autumn Ashword. It has only just started and only has two chapters out so far. But I'm enjoying writing it, so more will be written soon enough, most likely. I would be grateful if you guys left a review or two._ **  
**

 **3.)** _I made a_ _WEBSITE. Well, let me clarify. I made website for this story. It was made with Wix through their free website maker, so it may not be the best. However it features character profiles for both the original characters and the canon characters. It also gives a look into the world of My Precious Bell and gives a better description for each of the four nations. There is also much more._

 **Links for my DeviantArt and the Precious Bell website can be found on my profile. Feel free to check both of them out. Also, don't forget to leave a** **review** **about the chapter. Tell me, are you interested about the new characters? Yes or no and why so. Lengthy reviews are great, but the short, upbeat compliment is fine as well. ;) Anyways, hope you have a nice day/night/whatever and see you next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 1, Part 4

_**4: "Without a Plan, but with a Strategy; Part 4"**_

* * *

The plan was coming together; much to Youta's relief. He wasn't sure how well they would be able to come up with a plan. He had faith in everyone in the group… as individuals. But he was more afraid of them working together as a group. Ilah, Fei, and Guan had worked together on the tunnels with Ilah and Fei making them and Guan mapping them out. However that was about their extent of experience with each other. And making tunnels was a lot different than planning an attack on a well-trained nation's capital. There was also Suzu, whom no one else had met before this. The unfamiliarity mixed with their conflicting personalities just seemed like a recipe for disaster, however it was going perfect.

"I think we should attack the guard towers first," said Ilah.

"No, we should hit the barracks first," said Guan. "Most of them will be asleep. It would be smarter to hit them when they're down, not when they're aiming fireballs at our heads."

Well, it was going perfectly.

"If we don't get the towers first, they'll see us coming and already be ready," argued Ilah, her voice rising with every word.

"We'll be underground," Guan pointed out. "Unless they suddenly acquired x-ray vision, they won't see us."

"I'm going to have to agree with my brother on this one," agreed Fei. "We should hit a larger group of them first. Besides, they shouldn't even notice us… Unless they have some sort of earthbender technology."

"I don't think there is such a thing," Suzu said.

"So we should hit the barracks first and then the guard towers along the way to the castle," Guan said.

"Yeah, but if do the barracks first, the guards in the towers can warn the Fire Lord and he can go into hiding," said Ilah. "We should hit the towers first."

"There are a lot of towers though," said Suzu.

"Like how many?" asked Fei.

"Well, there are the ones along the entrance from the docks, protecting the East. Then there are guard towers scattered around the city along the outer part of the crater and then the posts along the walls and then even more posts surrounding the castle," Suzu began to list off. "The Capital is one of the most well-protected cities in the Nation, due to it being the Capital."

Ilah suddenly became very quiet, though her expression wasn't one of defeat. She just looked very angry, though she didn't show it aside from her expression. She looked as if she wanted to shout and throw a tantrum for Suzu poking holes in her plan. Instead she just remained quiet and angry-faced. Guan, however, looked triumphant.

"So we attack the barracks," he said.

"There are quite a few barracks," Suzu pointed out. "You're going to need a lot of benders to deal with most of them."

"I think you underestimate our numbers," Guan said proudly.

"That means the rest of the Capital will too," Youta pointed out.

The plan had finally come together. Now all they had to do was wait.

* * *

 **Not much of a chapter as it could have been added to the last one. Good news however, next chapter should feature fighting and some major bending; and not just some lighter-fingers via Suzu. I really just want to get into the action, but it wasn't going to happen this chapter. Again sorry, but I promise a much longer chapter next time.**

 **And actually, because this was so short, I will try to update again this week around Wednesday or Thursday.**


	6. Chapter 2, Part 1

_**5: "The First of Many, an Attack with Many Flaws; Part 1"**_

* * *

 _Any time now,_ she thought to herself.

They had finished up the meeting finally agreeing on a plan. They would attack in the dead of night; hoping to catch people off-guard. Youta would send up a signal to alert everyone of the attack. And so Suzu was stuck waiting by the window for it. She had figured it would happen at any moment now, about two hours earlier. They seemed to be dawdling. However Suzu didn't know how big their supposed army was and how long it could take to coordinate such an attack.

And if to answer her frustration, there it was; a single green flare going straight up high into the sky. A small crack from the explosion brought Suzu back to her senses and she jumped up. Out of nowhere, Suzu gained energy she didn't know she had. She was ready and so were they, apparently.

"Suzu, what was that?" asked a voice.

Suzu flipped around to see her younger sister, Avaron, in the doorway, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Why are you dressed in your normal clothing?" Avaron asked.

"Avaron, I'm going to need you to go back to bed," Suzu answered as she rushed around her room, grabbing stuff off of shelves and out of drawers.

"What are you doing?" Avaron continued to ask, ignoring Suzu's commands.

Suddenly a loud crash echoed out in the distance. Suzu glanced out her window to see a building she recognized as one of the barracks completely collapsing into the ground. It looked as if the earth was eating them up, one by one.

 _I guess they have enough benders_ , Suzu thought.

"Suzu?" Avaron asked.

"Avaron, I need you to go back to your room now and stay there!" Suzu ordered, looking her sister straight in her eyes. "Now!"

Without allowing the ten-year old to ask any more questions, Suzu all but carried her back to her room. Once the child was back in her room, Suzu closed the door and turned to leave. And without another word, Suzu left.

* * *

The barracks were collapsing one after another. No one inside seemed to have enough time to react as the ground beneath them gave out, sending everyone inside each building down into the ground. A few managed to crawl from the rubble, but the numbers were slim. Youta watched on from a nearby street in the shadows. He was saddened that they needed to kill, but what were a few lives compared to the freedom of many. Besides they were soldiers, people who signed their lives away already. Compared to the many already sacrificed from other nations who weren't soldiers but ordinary people, the cost seemed small. Still Youta held his breath as he watched the buildings sink.

Youta let out a deep sigh as he pulled out something that looked like a miniature cannon. He stuffed some wadding and powder inside and aimed it upward. After lighting off the wick, he turned his head away and the flare was sent hurling into the sky. A green stream of light followed after it, accompanied by a soft, but echoing _crack_.

"I hope Suzu saw that," he mumbled to himself. "It looks like this is happening."

"Over there!"

A soldier who had crawled out of one of the barracks was shouting at Youta, who had just given away his position in the shadows with the flare. The soldier was with some other soldiers who had escaped and they looked incredibly angry.

"It's one of the rebels!" the soldier shouted.

"Shoot," Youta cursed under his breath.

He didn't need to be caught, especially now. Besides, he knew they wouldn't just arrest him. After what happened to them, if they figured him to be a rebel, it was his life on the line. Youta darted down the street, hugging the shadows as he took off. The soldiers proceeded to chase after him. Youta was fast, but it seemed so were the soldiers. He couldn't shake them.

"Shoot, shoot, shoot," Youta continued to mutter as he panted.

"Stop now!" one of the soldiers ordered.

One of the soldiers stopped and slid his foot forward quickly. As he did so, he drew his hands together and, with much force, pushed forward. A flame came from his hands and was aimed towards the fleeing Youta. Youta looked back just in time to see the incoming flame and dodge it by dropping down. However by dropping down, Youta allowed the distance between him and the other soldiers to dwindle.

"Youta?" one of the soldiers recognized him.

The face of the soldier was familiar to Youta as well. It was Keiichi, Suzu's older brother. They had been good friends, but were recently spending time apart. Ever since Keiichi joined the army when he was seventeen, Youta couldn't look at him without disgust – though Youta didn't mean to. Suzu had mentioned Keiichi would be staying home, so seeing his once friend in front of him, chasing him, caused Youta to be both confused and saddened.

"What do you think you're doing?" Keiichi questioned.

"Stop asking questions! He is a rebel! He signaled others!" another soldier snapped.

Youta took a deep breath and braced himself.

"He's right, I am a rebel," Youta said.

Keiichi did not seem surprised; after all he did just see his once-friend send a flare up while watching the barracks collapse. But Keiichi still seemed a bit saddened at the answer.

"He admitted to being a traitor and a rebel. Capture him!" the soldier shouted.

All the soldiers posed themselves, ready to attack. Keiichi, though apprehensive, also did so. Youta tensed up, but seemed relatively calm.

"You can either come peacefully or put up a fight and get seriously hurt," the soldier said.

"I have a feeling you'll _hurt_ me even if I come peacefully," Youta pointed out.

"Well, we don't appreciate traitors to the Nation," he said.

"So how about I pick neither," Youta said, stomping his foot on the ground repeatedly.

"Attack!" the soldier ordered.

The soldiers simultaneously swung their arms forward in a windmill fashion as they lunged towards Youta. Flame wheels appeared on either side of them. Just as quickly as they appeared, they were launched at him. Youta raised his arms as the flames zoomed towards him.

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! Sorry, but I'm going to have to stop here. I most likely will be focusing on Youta and a few other characters, away from Suzu, the next few updates during the attack as I try to show all the sides. Anyway, I hope this chapter was satisfactory. Be sure to drop a review and tell me what you thought.**

 **I found the bending a bit harder to describe. I tried watching some videos on Youtube of the martial art style. Which quick fact, firebending is based on Northern Shaolin. It is a bit hard to describe sharp, quick movements of the body, especially when it comes to firebending, which is filled with such motions. Please let me know if the descriptions are too vague or anything and I will try to do better. Just please be nice.**

 **Thank-you and I hope you have a nice day. See you next time.**


End file.
